Student: Mrs. Stookey, I was born in South Carolina. When I was little we drove all the way here to Washington State to move.Me: Oh wow, that's a long drive.Student: I know - but we stopped for food.

******

Same student as above, about 5 minutes later ...Student: Can you believe we drove that far?Me: No, it's crazy.Student: We drove all the way across - even across Montana.Me: That's cool, you drove across the great plains huh?!?Student: No, we drove a car.

The following excerpt was shared on September 28, 2006to the House of Representatives when House Resolution #222 was passed,and October 15th became Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

I love it.

"Mr. Speaker, when any baby or child dies, there is deep grief for the hopes, dreams, and wishes that will never be. Left behind are a sense of loss and a need for understanding.

Every year, many lives are touched by miscarriage or the death of an infant or child. According to a 1996 study by the Center for Disease Control, 16 percent of the more than 6 million pregnancies that year ended in either a miscarriage or a stillbirth, and 26,784 births ended in infant death.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day, which will be held on October 15, will assist in bringing the process of healing to families and will help to heal families who are coping with and recovering from a miscarriage, stillbirth, or the loss of an infant.

Families will always struggle to cope with the devastating crisis of a miscarriage or loss of an infant child. Parents often cry, feel ill or depressed, or have other emotional responses for months or years after a death.

The pain is a normal part of grieving. Parents often want to talk about their pain and are pleased when others take the time to listen. People who come into contact with a grieving family have a role in helping to resolve the family’s grief. The role of each person will be determined by his or her relationship with the family and the family’s stage of grief. As a community, we should remember that no one can take the pain away from a grieving family.

We can, however, provide comfort, sympathy, and understanding. There will always be the need for compassionate support for grieving families, and I hope that all Americans will take the time on October 15 to show their compassion for families that have experienced the loss of an infant or a child."

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

But if you're like me - you dream about what your Christmas card will look like ALL YEAR!

P.S. I also love addressing all the envelopes!P.S.S. If you think I'm slightly insane - then rest assured ... I used to HAND MAKE every single card I sent out. Obsessing over the Costco website it most certainly an improvement of my mental state.

I thought I'd engage in some retail therapy before my dentist appointment yesterday.

I tried on a ton of tops and dresses, but nothing seemed to work.

Everything was either too small, or too big and dumpy looking.

So I did what ever rational woman would do ...

I migrated myself to the purse and shoes section!

Because let's be honest.

Shoes, purses, books, home goods, bedding ...

they ALWAYS FIT!

Unfortunately, I found a purse I loved, about 10 minutes too late.

By the time I got in the check-out line, it was 4:50, and my appointment was at 5:00.

So again, I did what every sane woman does ...

I HID the purse.

I really thought about my strategy.

I didn't want to hide it with uglier purses (thinking less people would go to that section), because the beauty of "my" purse would stick out, attracting FLOCKS of women to leap like ravenous tiger at my bag.

I also didn't want to hide it in a random section (say the SOCK aisle, if you will), because again, it would stick out.

You see, I already considered this bag my prized possession and I needed to hide it to the best of my abilities.

I had to think quick since my appointment was a speedy 10 minutes away.

I decided to hide it with the other black purses, but I put it in the back of the rack, and turned it around, so the boring back-side was exposed.

NICE!

Such a genius move!

So I hid the purse, then scrambled to my dentist appointment.

Throughout the entire appointment, I thought a lot of random thoughts (thanks to the laughing gas) ... but I mainly obsessed about the dang purse.

I was living on the boarder of "I hid that thing good" and "Someone BETTER not find it!"

It was insanity, I tell ya.

Anyway, long story long :) I drove back to TJ Maxx after my appointment, and ended up purchasing the purse (yippee!), a mirror for our entryway (I can't WAIT to show it to you!) and some socks.

And if I'm being honest - I'd say I've felt pretty beaten down for almost a year now.

I spent my ENTIRE therapy session this morning bawling my eyes out.

I'm not exaggerating.

Very little was said.

I basically cried.

You know when a lot of little things add up and then every time you get another hit it just feels really huge?

Yah.

That's where I'm at.

I could go on and on about how blessed I am with a wonderful husband & family.

But I don't really feel like it.

Between two miscarriages, a crown that causes me constant tooth pain and falls out every few months, weight gain due to multiple pregnancies in a short amount of time, getting amped on a new exercise program then having it stalled by hurting my feet, nightly icing and massaging of my feet because they are KILLING ME (I've self-diagnosed Plantar Fasciitis), Cooper's hip bothering him & multiple vet appointments, blah, blah, blah.

I feel like I want to go outside and just yell, "ENOUGH" out into the universe.

Heck, I'd yell it to anyone who will listen.

I'll cry mercy, uncle, whatever.

I can't have any other pain on my plate.

My pain is physical and emotional right now and it's really getting me down.

I'm totally glass-half-empty right now.

Which I HATE to write about because that's not really who I am.

But honestly, how much can one person take over such a loooong period of time?

Typically, I'll blog about it - then delete it before hitting the POST button.

But I'm not going to do that this time.

I want people to know that life gets hard and feels REALLY heavy after a miscarriage (or any traumatic event).

Hits feel harder.

It becomes more difficult to juggle all the little things that used to feel easy.

about me

I am a happy wife and grateful mommy. I love my dad's hugs, my brother's advice, and holding hands with my mom. I have a husband whose love for me is fierce and true. After several heartbreaking miscarriages, we welcomed P1 in September 2011 and P2 in October 2013! We are living a very blessed life.